Yema

Yema are custard candies we inherited from our Spanish colonizers of more than 300 years. Have you ever wondered how these heavenly like candies came about? The truth is, yema had a very interesting beginning in our history.The word “yema” actually means “yolk” in Spanish. During the Spanish occupation millions of egg whites and egg shells were used to build churches in the country. It was a technique in the olden times to use them as mortar to hold the stone together. And that left Filipinos with an overabundance of yolk. So as not to put them to was with their ingenuity and passion for food gave birth to recipes that calls for yolks: cookies (like uraro type), leche fland and of course Yema.

This is one candy all Filipino love! It is easy to do and will sell well too among your friends! I have consulted numerous ways, recipes and techniques in making them but I guess these two are the best

Recipe 1 (Normal Yema)

Ingredients:

2 cans of condensed milk

3 egg yolks

1 tablespoon of melted butter

3 tablespoons of chopped langka (jack fruit)

3 tablespoons of chopped nuts

Procedure:

In a bowl cream the egg yolk and condensed milk. Then pour in a casserole and cook slowly over medium fire. You should continue mixing it to avoid sticking. Cook it until it thickens. Add your chopped nuts and jackfruit. Let it cool and form the shape you want.

2 cans of condensed milk
plastic cellophane for wrapping

Directions:

You will have to use a regular frying pan to get the best result, not the non-stick one.

Pour the condensed milk in pan and put on medium heat.

Using a metal spatula, stir the milk as if you are scraping the bottom of the pan.

This must be done continuously to avoid burning the milk and to prevent it from sticking at the bottom of the pan. This will also ensure that it is cooked evenly.

You can tell that the yema is done if your condensed milk sticky.

Let it cool and wrap in cellophane cut outs for easy serving.

Recipe 2 Yema with Caramel

Ingredients:

1 can of big condensed milk (about 396 ml)

10 egg yolks (8 if you are using big size)

finely grated zest of lemon or lime (whatever is available)

1 cup of sugar

half a cup of water

1 teaspoon of cream of tartar

1 tablespoon of melted butter

Procedure:

Start by beating the egg yolk with an electric beater. In a separate bowl, put a little bit of water (about 1 tablespoon) and add the grated zest of lime. Press them together and squeeze out the essence. Add this essence to your beaten egg. Pour in the condensed milk and mix well. Cook this mixture in a non stick pan over low fire while stirring constantly to avoid burning. When the custard thickens and change color turn of the heat and let it cool. Form some balls using a spoon and your hands with this custard. And now for the caramel. First dissolve your sugar in the water be sure that all the sugar are completely dissolve. Then add the cream of tartar and melted butter. Pour this mixture on a pan and cook slowly until it thickens as caramel. To test if your caramel is ready, with a teaspoon drop a small amount of caramel in a plate if it hardens immediately it is ready.. Dip one by one your yema balls in the caramel.

i am wondering if this is an acctual yema recipe, because i am having a troubling time finding the true one online, my philipino friend says the recipe comes from ilo ilo, so i am wondering if this is the original yema candy recipe. do you know?

can i ask if this recipe would result to a Yema that after some time will harden, not necessarily very hard but rather with dry texture and not a sticky one after you get it out from the refrigerator??

I’m confused by this recipe. The first part has 2 cans of condensed milk and eggs etc. followed by the procedure, then it is followed by 2 cans condensed milk and cellophane wrapper, followed by more directions to cook the condensed milk???!!! Please clarify.

OH YEMA I STARTED SELING YEMA AT SCHOOL WAY BACK WHEN I WAS AT GRADE 4 UP TO 4RTH YEAR ! IT WAS MY SISTER WHO COOKED IT THEN I LEARNED TO MAKE IT BY MY OWN WHEN I STARTED IN HIGH SCHOOL ! I WAS NAMED YEMA GIRL THEN LATER ON SOME OF MY CLASSMATES AND EVEN OUR TEACHER IMMITATE ME BUT THEN THERE WAS A BIG DIFFERENT BECAUSE THIER YEMA IS REALLY HARD AND TIRING TO EAT SO MY CLASSMATES CHOOSE TO BOUGHT ON ME BECAUSE MY YEMA IS EASY TO EAT AND THE ONLY SECRETS I AM GOING TO TELL YOU IS JUST ADD SOME SWEET BISCUITS ONLY AND U MUST HAVE TO KNOW THAT TO MUCH BISCUITS THE RESULTS IS ALSO NOT GOOD ! THATS ALL ! JUST TRY IT !

i am making yema cubes as my biznis and it makes really good. i am searching for a recipe on how to make a yema pastel balls that makes affordable to anybody and a yema stick recipe as well. please provide me for the recipe. thanks…

I made YEMA this SEASON 2012, and I brought to our family Christmas potluck. I put in one corner of my mom’s cabinet. I’m so quiet not to say anybody I made YEMA. Suddenly, my sister saw it and oohh..oohhh. I know her daughter loves YEMA, too and everbody was picking one but more until it finished. Now on this NEW YEAR 2013, I will make again and I know and hope that I could introduce to my friends my YEMA, it’s so good taste and you’ll love it to bite.